Saint Mark, Basilica of, is the Roman Catholic cathedral of Venice, Italy. It is also called the Cathedral of St. Mark. The basilica is named for Saint Mark, the patron saint of Venice.
The basilica is built primarily in the Byzantine style, though its architecture also reflects Romanesque and Gothic influences. The building is constructed in the shape of a Greek cross, which has four arms of equal length. The church is 251 feet (761/2 meters) long, and it is 205 feet (621/2 meters) wide at its widest point. A dome rises over each arm and over the place where the arms meet. A separate campanile (bell tower) stands near the basilica in St. Mark’s Square.
The present church is the third on the site. It was built as the palace chapel for the doge (ruler) of Venice, and was consecrated in 1073. It was designated a cathedral in 1807. Its interior is richly decorated with mosaics, carvings, and colored marble. Many of these works of art were brought from the Byzantine capital of Constantinople (now Istanbul) by European warriors fighting the Fourth Crusade about 1204. The crusaders also brought four bronze horses that stand over the basilica’s entrance and many precious objects now in its treasury.
